Monday, January 24, 2005

Song of the Waiting Lover

Jose Garcia Villa is considered as one of the finest contemporary poets regardless of race or language. Villa has a collection of romantic poems in Hilario S. Francia’s Poems in Praise of Love: The Best Love Poems of Jose Garcia Villa as Chosen By Himself. This poem has the persona telling the beloved to be with him after being sung songs that built him a cocoon. I can relate to this poem because of its hopeful, idealistic tone. It gives me hope that I will find someone special in this lifetime.


Joseph Padilla

SONG OF THE WAITING LOVER
Jose Garcia Villa

You have come to me scattering songs from your woman-
bosom.
I have picked up your songs with the gentleness of a
bird yearning for a mate;
The little moist notes of your songs are threads of many
hues, many strengths, that I weave about me to
clothe my nakedness.
I am no longer nude: your many threads of song have
built for me a soft cocoon.
I call for you,
Let us lie together in this song-cocoon.
Scatter no more songs.
Preserve your bosom for me:
I am waiting for you in a house of song.

Source: http://www.ncca.gov.ph/culture&arts/profile/natlartists/literature/villa.htm
Carbonell, Rolando. Beloved: an anthology of Filipino love poems.
Metro Manila: Horizons Pub. House, 1963.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Operative imagery is this poem's vital asset. It combines the sensory details of music (song) and texture (threads) to create a comparison to the comfort and security the persona finds in his admiration. This illustrates the sense of refuge one may find in a lover. The cocoon may denote the growth in the first few steps toward a relationship. Perhaps the persona is imploring for the woman to sustain the prospective bond that he desires from her--although it's as if the persona is using the woman's strengths to make him feel whole. Love then seems to be awaited and yet celebrated at the same time.

--rachel de mesa